


Canada I Heart You (New York Is Calling Us)

by Legenmarriedalways16



Category: How I Met Your Mother
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Best Friends, Boyfriend and girlfriend - Freeform, Brooklyn, Canada, Drama, Established Relationship, F/M, Fiancees - Freeform, Friendship, Jobs, Staten Island, Ups and Downs, Youth
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:40:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 19,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26884525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Legenmarriedalways16/pseuds/Legenmarriedalways16
Summary: A young couple (Barney and Robin) meet as kids, become best friends and eventually move to New York together, but this move has many twists and turns for the young couple. AU!Alternate Pilot retake!
Relationships: Barney Stinson/Robin Scherbatsky
Comments: 20
Kudos: 11





	1. Canada I Heart You (New York Is Calling Us)

**Author's Note:**

> AU-A different take on Barney’s and Robin’s youth. Instead of being five years apart in this story they’re two years apart. They grew up together and eventually become a couple in their teenaged years. Robin gets a job in New York and asks Barney to go with her. But, there will be obstacles and twists and turns within this multi-chapter story. This is mostly a lighthearted story of them growing up and learning. Yes, they will meet the others Lily, Marshall, Ted and eventually Tracy will become apart of the group much sooner than the show. 
> 
> Barney and Robin are an established couple in this story they are happy and in love but imagine M/L’s Pilot story but with them. They will have many things going on in their relationship but they love each other and will get through it together. FYI: BR lose their virginity to each other that will be brought up in flashbacks.
> 
> Anyway, hope you like this new story enjoy.

“Did you get it?” As soon as Robin walked through the door her boyfriend asks if she had been chosen for a correspondent position, this new job would require her to move to New York where the main World Wide News headquarters branch is. She currently works for the Canadian branch in Toronto. She and Barney moved there when she went to college. But they met as kids in Vancouver. Barney was 10 and Robin was 8, they lived on the same block in Vancouver for two years and then Barney moves away, they don’t see each other for another six years.

Barney Stinson is originally from Staten Island, New York where he lived until his parents moved to Vancouver when he was 10. Robin was 8, and still wearing boy clothing, nothing feminine like dresses and skirts. Barney and Robin become best friends within the two years they knew each other. And, then Barney moves away, back to New York with his mother before his parents split up. Their friendship became part of who they would eventually become as adults. After Barney left, Robin was alone, sad and missed him a lot. She would have to put up with her father for another three years, until she moves in with her mother and younger sister. Right next door to where Barney and his family lived before they moved back to New York.

*Flashback*

“Oh, soory. Didn’t see you there.” A young blonde boy, maybe about nine years old. Bumps into what he thought was another boy until the other person looks up, looking to be crying.

“Oh, sorry there.” The boy blushes at the sight of this pretty girl in front of him. Wearing army capris pants, a beige t-shirt, army boots and a baseball cap. He’s embarrassed but thinks the young girl who could be 7 or 8 years old is really pretty and feels bad for thinking what he initially thought.

“No, it’s fine. I should have looked before I ran faster from my house.” Is that why she seems to be crying? Barney thought to himself.

He smiles lightly and says “I should have been looking up and not at my walk-man. It’s my bad. I’m Barney, Barney Stinson.” He sticks out his hand to shake the pretty girls hand and when their hands touch they both feel a tingling sensation run up their hands and then up their arms, and then they stare. And stare for five minutes with their hands still connected. Barney’s instantly attracted to the young girl, even if she’s not wearing typical girl clothes. She’s still very pretty, what gets him is her eyes. Blue and like his but so much more prettier especially when she smiles after the five minute handshake and her eyes light up. She is gorgeous, why would she cover herself up like this? Barney thinks taking his attached hand and releasing from Robin’s.

“Robin. Robin, Charles Scherbatsky Jr.” Robin knows she might make this young cute boy run away from her when he hears her full whole name. But the young boy does not run, he simply smiles and says.

“That’s an odd name but a nice one. I never heard of a girl who’s a Jr.” He is serious when he says this because a pretty girl who dresses like a boy and has a boys name is weird to him but unique he doesn’t say more than interesting. He doesn’t want to judge someone he just met and never seen before.

He smiles and says “you want to come over to my house? My mother is baking cookies.” This is the first friend Barney makes in Vancouver and the first girl he dates, when they’re older. But for now, the two young kids are just kids... with a crush. Robin doesn’t talk about her life, at this moment because he doesn’t bring it up until later this day.

“Sure. What kind of cookies?” Robin likes this boy and thinks he’s adorably cute so of course she wants to hangout with him. Being around someone who can make her heart beat and stop at the same time is better than thinking about the thing she was just about to do before bumping into this nice/cute boy (run away), okay she wasn’t going to go far just to her mothers house but she was debating on actually running away.

“Chocolate chip of course.” Robin doesn’t think about that for another second and the two go off to Barney’s parents house just a block away. Surprisingly right next door to her mothers house.

Robin’s parents divorced when she was four. Her mother took her sister Katie because she was just a baby and her father did not want to care for her. And Robin stays with her father who immediately took charge of her life and has been making her life hell ever since. So when she was running, she was running away from her father after being punished for not obeying his rules. She sneaks out and runs into Barney crying and looking back to see if her father is coming after her. He wasn’t which was a relief to her.

“Mom, this is Robin. Robin, this is my mother Loretta.” Barney is so happy to have a new friend since moving here. It’s only been two months but meeting Robin, he doesn’t know it yet... changes his life. Right now though there are cookies to eat, milk to drink and getting to know this pretty girl who he’s already smitten with.

“Oh, nice to meet you dear.” A tall, woman with long brown/reddish hair comes over to Robin and sticks her hand out to shake hers and instantly Robin already feels a good presence in Barney’s mother. A motherly presence, someone Robin could look up to and would, because Robin becomes friendly with Barney’s mother as the years go on and they grow up.

“You too, Loretta.” Robin says in a low shy voice.

“So, Robin. I want to get to know more about you. Tell my mother and I about yourself.” Barney says after they sit at the dining table that is in the kitchen with freshly made cookies and a glass of milk for both of them.

Robin, is shy and doesn’t want to tell everything about herself and her life to people she just met. However, she does tell them some of her life and the reason why she was running and crying before when she bumped into Barney. When she explains this sad and horrible situation she’s in with her father to Barney he instantly puts a concerned hand on hers almost feeling her pain, as she cries he cries along with her. When, Loretta hears Robin’s story, she is furious so she goes next door to Robin’s mother’s house because Loretta has been friendly with Genevieve for years, Loretta has gotten to know Genevieve and Katie, Robin’s sister really well. But, Barney didn’t know this fact and Genevieve immediately breaks down about what had happened in her life and how unhappy she was being married to Robin’s father.

Now, Barney understands more on why Robin dresses like a boy and it breaks his heart. After this day, Barney, Robin, Genevieve and Loretta all become close. Although Robin still lived with her father, Genevieve doesn’t allow Robin to come live with her until she’s a little older. So, after Barney moves away Robin becomes depressed and when she’s ten years old she attempts to run away again which fails and it gets her sent to boot camp. As, Barney and Robin become friends and eventually best friends, they do everything together while Barney is making more friends and becoming quite popular in the neighborhood. Robin, goes to him whenever she needs support, whenever she feels down, unhappy, sad, depressed, anything she wants to talk about he will listen and understand her. He is the first person in her life to understand her for the person she is and wants to become. She relies on his friendship to make her life less unhappy.

Barney leaving to go back to New York left Robin more alone than she’s ever been in her young life. Robin, starts to write letters to Barney every day and he responds to them. Until, suddenly he stopped responding to those letters. Which left Robin broken hearted and almost suicidal. Robin’s life of living with her father finally comes to an end when finally when Robin was 13 she moves in with her mother and two years later Barney moves back to Vancouver with his mother and brother, because he missed it and missed Robin so he convinced Loretta to move back to be with Robin. His parents breakup was hard on Barney just as Robin’s was. However, Loretta wasn’t always honest with her kids which becomes another issue. But, when Barney returns it makes Robin’s life so much more easier and happier. By this point she is just becoming her alter ego Robin Sparkles and has written all her songs about Barney. When he comes back they fall in love. But, the letters that Barney did not reply to never did get to him and that’s why his responses stopped. Robin, thought she sent all of her letters but it turns out that her father found them under her bed and burned them which Robin doesn’t find out about until Barney comes back to Vancouver.

*End Of Flashback*

“I did.” He runs over to his girlfriend and gives her a big hug lifting her up off the floor.

“I am so proud of you.” He says in her ear putting her down back on the floor again.

“You know that this means that I will be moving to New York in two days, right?” Robin wants to make sure that Barney understands that she will be moving to New York, she would be starting this new job right away.

“Yes, you told me when they told you about this position. And I told you that whatever happens I will support you and we’ll figure it out together. I am so proud of you. It’s only been eight months with this job but you are already becoming the success I know you would be.” Five years, they started dating when they were 15 and 17 when Barney was a senior and Robin was a Sophomore when Barney came back to Vancouver. It was the best most wonderful five years. Anything they did they supported. When Barney decided to go into finance when he was in college he wasn’t sure what he wanted to do. He knew he was good with numbers, he liked math, he wanted to be a lot of things when he was younger but by the time he got to college he figured out that he wants to work in the field of finance, his first job was interning for a corporate small financial firm. After graduating he got a job with a local bank. But this bank was new, up and coming he didn’t know what working for this bank would entail for him but he grew to like what he does and Robin was very proud of his success, not only did he get a job in the field he wanted, he helped her decide what she wanted to do with her life.

She always wanted to be a journalist it was one of the many dreams she had that she told Barney about. She decides to take up journalism when she was deciding on what to do after high school. She had options: go straight to college, take a year off to explore herself more, move to the states and start a career in journalism and her final option was to continue being her Robin Sparkles alter ego. She quits show business when she’s about to go into her junior year in high school, with Barney’s guidance and support she applies to a school that has journalism and news casting. When, Barney goes off to college, Robin is again left alone but they write to each other and call each other every chance they got. And this time, neither stopped communicating until they finally get together for good again, when Robin moves to Toronto where Barney has been going to school and working. They get an apartment together not too far away from Robin’s school.

Barney, had a plan. He was going to propose to her in a week, on her birthday. But, Robin gets this opportunity to move to New York and it ruins his plan. But, he is happy and proud of her, she has achieved what she wanted when she went to college and is supporting her.

“Hey, why don’t you come with me?” She was planning on asking him to come with her to New York but because of his job he won’t be able to.

“I would if I could, but you know I can’t leave my job. This job is my first opportunity into the world of finance. I don’t want to just leave with no other opportunities.” Barney does want to go with her but doesn’t think he will be as good at his job in a big place like New York. And, yet he wants to desperately be with her, they told each other that they will never be apart again and now that she accepted this job in New York, she is leaving. He doesn’t know what to do.

“I know that you’re enjoying being at this job. But, New York has many opportunities too, for people with college degrees and you are really great at what you do. Anyone would be lucky to have you work at their company.” What Robin just said makes sense however he doesn’t see himself working at some big corporate company. He likes the small bank he works for now, he just started working there, five months ago, he doesn’t want to leave it so soon.

“I don’t know.”

“Just think about it, ok? I want you there so I won’t be alone.” She wants him to go because she would be the only one there, she doesn’t know anyone in New York besides Barney’s brother and mother, who went back to New York after Barney graduated high school. She would still be all alone in a big city without anyone she knows who would keep her company. She doesn’t want to go to New York alone, by herself.

“We have two days together let’s just celebrate your big opportunity I don’t want to waste what little time we have. I will give you my answer tomorrow right now, lets go out and celebrate this is an amazing opportunity for you, New York is upon you. Robin, and I am with you every step of the way even if I don’t go with you.” He really does want to go but wants to think it over. 

If he decides to quit his job and follow Robin to New York he doesn’t know if he will find another job he likes. If he decides to stay... he knows he will miss her. Terribly! So he has to think about this a little more. If he goes with her even without a job he would find something else, maybe he should talk to his boss maybe he will recommend something. 

The last time they were apart, he thought she stopped writing to him and it made him unhappy, for a long time. He does eventually move on but then when he moves back to Vancouver to be with her they start dating after three month of his return. They haven’t been apart since. He didn’t want to ever be apart from her again... they tried long distance when she was still in high school and it worked but he missed her a lot and for the most part he locked himself in his dorm room studying through his depression because he missed her. So if he stays in Toronto he knows that long distance isn’t always good for a relationship, however they did make it work before.

As, Barney sleeps on his answer. There is only one problem keeping him here, in Toronto and that is his new job. He likes working for this small bank but knows his life, his happiness, his whole world is leaving. It makes him sad, he knows that he’s going to miss her, and being apart like they were when he moved back to New York when they were younger, was incredibly painful however every letter he received helped him find some peace about moving away from his best friend and the happy life he had in Vancouver.

“I want to go with you.” He tells her first thing the next morning.

“Really?” She smiles lightly, hoping this is his answer.

“Yeah, I want to go with you. So, I am going to talk to my boss today and tell him that I am moving to New York. Hopefully he will be okay with this, it’s only been a few months being at this company, I really like working there. But, I love you more and want to be with you, I can find another opportunity/job in New York.” She is extremely happy that he decided to come with her. This means that keeping their word to each other will always mean something important in their relationship. It means that they will never be apart again.

“Oh, yay. Baby, this is amazing, I can see it now. Us, living in the big city, in a nice apartment, with Sparkly and Precious.” (their two dogs) they got Precious first, adopting her when they first moved in together. And then last year they adopted Sparkly, a smaller dog but a very friendly dog. Both of them love dogs and when they move they have to take them with them. “And, having the careers we dreamed of.” Wow he didn’t think she would be this excited for him to go to New York with her, but he is excited too. He can’t wait to see what opportunities he may have when he goes back home to New York.

“So, later on today I will talk to my boss because you’re leaving tomorrow.” He is sad about this, then being apart again if things don’t go as he wants them to go when he talk to his boss. They never want to lose each other, if his boss doesn’t approve of him leaving the company than it’s likely that he won’t be able to go with Robin as he plans on.


	2. Closure, My Future Days Are Upon Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I wanted to do something totally different from my other fics. This story is set around the timeline of Canon, so the story that was told on the series but Barney and Robin are already an established couple and will be together throughout the story. Think Marshall and Lily on the series, even though they had many issues in their relationship they mostly stayed together that is how BR’s relationship is in this story. There will be bumps in the road to their happy future but mostly this is a happy not a dramatic story with them evolving more as a couple and growing throughout the story. 
> 
> This chapter deals with Barney’s parents, he already had a relationship with his father when he was younger but after Jerry left him they didn’t keep in contact just like canon, although cannon had Barney not knowing who his father was and the reason he left until he was in his 30s but this, he is in his 20s. BR do have parental issues and that’s how their connection started. As any couple have they have their ups and their downs but they are in a devoted relationship, there will be problems but they will get through them together.
> 
> Before anyone asks or thinks it NO there will be no Ted and Robin sorry this is not like canon, they will only be friends in this story BR are together throughout. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy the story, I know angst and drama are fun and people like it but I’ve done enough of those stories. This is a happy story with some drama nothing too bad. There won’t be any breakups but there will be rough times. This is a slightly different take on Canon and yes Ted will date Victoria and everyone else he dated on the show but Robin. Robin is devoted and in love with Barney they are established.
> 
> Enjoy!

Barney, didn’t know what it would be like for him after he quit his job and moved back to New York to be with Robin. He knew that it would be hard to leave the known for the unknown despite being from New York he didn’t know what it would bring him. The only thing he knew was that he wanted to be with Robin, she is the only thing in his life that makes him fulfilled. So, moving to New York was an easy choice to make however without a job and his own apartment, he moves in with Robin in her Brooklyn apartment. After, they officially moved in together, and were comfortable Robin started work. This day today was her first day on the job. He needs to start looking for a job but decides to go see his mother first because he didn’t tell her before moving to New York.

“Mom, surprise.” He says once his mother opened the front door to his childhood home.

“Oh, my Barney what are you doing in New York?” Loretta asks, she wasn’t informed about her son coming for a visit. She’s happy to see him but wonders why he didn’t tell her he was coming.

“Surprise...” he says again. “I moved here with Robin.” He and Robin hadn’t told anyone they were moving to New York they just decided to leave Toronto and Canada behind and just go to New York. Robin started her job today so he decided to go see his mother it’s been a long time since he last talked to her.

“What? Oh wow, why did you move here and where is Robin is she with you?” Since the kids were young Loretta thinks of Robin like a daughter it’s been a while since she last saw and talk to her.

“No, she’s at work. She got a job here and we decided to move to New York together. We are living in Brooklyn.” Even if it is Brooklyn and not Manhattan he likes the apartment Robin has. Despite it being a one bedroom moving in with her instead of getting his own place which would take weeks if not months. He is grateful that Robin insisted that he stay with her. So he’s paying half the rent despite not having a job yet. He has money saved from his job in Toronto, it was a really good paid job he made a lot of money already and saved it to buy Robin an engagement ring.

“Well, that’s great honey. So things are going good with you two?” Loretta had been a big supporter in her son’s relationship with Robin over the years. Loretta moved back (with her son’s) to Vancouver because Barney missed Robin and his friends there as well but mostly Robin. So when they returned to Vancouver their friendship started again and not too long after that they became a couple. It’s been months since she last talked to him so she’s always asking how his relationship is going because she adores Robin and thinks of her as family.

“Yeah, great actually, we’re just getting settle in so while she’s working I decided come by to see you because I wanted to tell you this in person. I have been thinking a lot lately about my future, the reason I came here with Robin is because I know that she is my future. So, in the last few weeks before she got this new job/promotion I have been thinking... of proposing to Robin.” Loretta’s reaction to her son’s news was overly excited, she’s so happy to hear that Barney wants to propose to Robin because having her as her daughter in law would be amazing, she already thinks of her as a daughter.

“Wow, Barney that’s great. Congratulations, in advance. I know you two will have a great life together.”

“You’re really okay with this? Me getting married? I mean you aren’t that into the whole marriage thing you and dad never married, I thought you were against marriage?” When he was growing up, his dad was in his life and they traveled for a few years as a family and found roots in Canada so they made that their home for a while. But his parents weren’t married, his mother kept saying that marriage isn’t for everyone and that sometimes things don’t work out. His parents split when he was 12 after they moved back to New York and before they moved back to Vancouver. But, as a kid he did think that his parents were happy.

“Of course I am, dear why wouldn’t I be? You and Robin are great together. You love each other a lot, I mean you moved back here because you wanted to be with her. I’m very happy for you Barney you know I love Robin.” It’s true she adores and loves her, so she’s happy that she will likely be family in the near future.

“You’re really happy for me and us?” He wants to make sure she’s okay with him getting engaged because he doesn’t want anyone especially his mother not accept Robin in his life even though his mother adores Robin and thinks of her as a daughter.

“Yes, Barney I am happy for you both. I may not have been the biggest fan of marriage and commitment I myself never thought of getting married that’s why I never married your father...” well, one of the reasons. Loretta never wanted for Barney find out her biggest secret but she doesn’t want to keep something as important as this information from him so she tells him the real reason why she never married his father. “There were a lot of other reasons why I didn’t marry your father.”

“I, your father and I had a one night stand which led to me getting pregnant. When I was pregnant with you, he wanted to be in your life. I wasn’t in love with your father but allowed him to be a father to you because I knew you needed him in your life and he wanted to be your dad. As the years went on, after I gave birth to you, your father and I/our relationship had changed. Not a lot but a little. He just adored you and loved being a father so he was around me a lot helping me with both you kids (him and James his brother) he was the only man around in my life at the time. So I allowed him to be a partner in parenting you. After sometime, years we decided to give our relationship a try. We didn’t really have a relationship we were just being co-parents to you. But as the years went on we began to bond and become close, so we tried to make something work with our relationship so when we decided to take you boys on the road with us as we traveled for his gigs, our relationship did work for the years after we settled in Vancouver. But we were also always fighting with one another and not seeing eye to eye. When we decided to move back to New York we realized that we weren’t working. The day he took you to the history museum was the day we broke up.” This confession was the hardest thing for Loretta to talk about because she did start to love Jerry but she knew it wasn’t love towards the end of their relationship so she kicked Jerry out of Barney’s life. Loretta was trying to keep this fact a secret all these years but since it’s already brought up she knew she had to tell him the truth about his father and their relationship. The love she tried to push was just not there and both knew that. But, Loretta knows from seeing how happy Barney is with Robin she’s seen what real love looks like, that is something she never had with his father.

“I had no idea, I thought you were happy and in love with each other. I never questioned if you loved each other because you were always so loving around me.” And that’s the thing here. When she and Jerry were around Barney they acted civil like any parent did when around their kids. But in private when Barney wasn’t around to see it, they would always fight and it was big fights that went on and on for a long time. They pretended to be happy for Barney’s sake but they never were.

Robin is different, the relationship Barney has with Robin is what real love is. They gradually fell in love after being friends and they were always together, telling each other everything they had on their minds. They were best friends finding stability in each other, that had grown into a love they both couldn’t deny. The only reason Loretta moved back to Vancouver was because Barney was unhappy and missed Robin. If he wasn’t miserable Loretta would’ve stayed at that time in New York because after leaving Vancouver she had no reason to return. Barney was the only reason to move back. She wanted to make her son happy and he’s been happy ever since.

“I just tried to keep my relationship with your father away from you, we didn’t want to upset you. Anytime we fought or disagreed or mess up with being a parent to you we hid this from you to protect you from being hurt. But, know that what we did in our relationship was separate from being parents to you. Your father and I may have not worked out but you and Robin, have real love between you both. I never had that with your father but that’s okay. I didn’t love your father but you and Robin are a different story. I am so happy, so thrilled that you want to propose to her. She’s family, you know I love her as a daughter.” Barney’s a little taken a back by what he just was told about his parents relationship. He’s shocked to hear what went on when they were together trying to raise him. After they broke up, Barney was very depressed. He started to think they broke up because of him but that’s not it at all. There were many problems and issues his parents had, that they hid from him. But it doesn’t mean that he and Robin would find themselves in the same situations. Their relationship is different...

They never fought a day since getting together when they were in their teens. They have had disagreements but never had big fights or yelled at each other. They were always happy when they were together, no matter what, they told each other that they never want to be apart from each other ever again. They have seen each other through their growth periods, since becoming friends. Told each other everything even when it didn’t apply to their relationship. They had grown up into two mature young adults. The reason he moved back to Vancouver was to be with her, and he knew once he saw her again after being apart for six years. He knew that there was nothing that will stand in his way from being with Robin. Ever since their relationship turned romantic their love for each other never died it only got stronger and it continues to grow. There is a reason why Robin wanted him to go with her to New York and a reason why he decided to go with her. Neither wanted to ever be apart. Losing each other has been their greatest fear and when they reunited in Toronto after Robin graduated high school they decided to move in together. So she moved to his apartment that he’s had for the past year. When they were just starting out with their jobs/careers they had supported each other’s goals and were happy to cheer each other on as Barney found a job at the financial bank and Robin found a job interning with a small news network and was going to school. Their goals, wants and needs in life hasn’t deterred their relationship at all. Knowing what the other wants in the relationship is why their relationship works.

After, Barney leaves his mother’s house he had some thinking to do. His mother admitting/confessing about her relationship with his father left him confused and wondering what really went wrong between his parents. Falling in love with Robin has been easy, their relationship hasn’t had any problems, they always support and agree with each other on everything that life throws at them. But, he is worried that in the future things might not work out for them and he’s scared of losing Robin. He never wants to live his life without her. Losing her isn’t an option, that’s the reason why he wants to marry her. He had been wanting to propose for weeks, but hadn’t had the right time since she found out that her job promoted her to the job they came to New York for.

So, he really wants to know what went on between his parents. He hadn’t spoken to his father in 10 years. He doesn’t know what life he has now but knows that he lives in New York someplace. He looks through the yellow pages to find where his dad lives. He finds him in Westchester, specifically White Plains. He decides not to call him but goes to see him in person without letting him know that he’s coming. When his parents split, his father just left without any explanation, he never told him that he was leaving. He came home from school one day and found out that he left and Loretta told him a lie saying he didn’t want to be a father to him anymore and that being his dad was not his priority anymore. He knows now that that was a lie because his mother kicked him out of her life and his. So, that day that his father left he asked Loretta if he can contact him and she said no, he hadn’t left a number. At that time there was no other ways to call people or get information but now that he knows that his father is in New York, Loretta had told him before he left that he lives in New York but didn’t tell him where because she doesn’t know.

He takes a taxi to Westchester to his father’s house. He doesn’t know what kind of life he has now but he needs to know why he left and what went wrong between his mother and him.

He’s nervous but needs to get this over with because he still plans on proposing. That is his main reason for coming here... after a while hating his dad for leaving he stopped being angry with him and moved on. After he left though, he started to feel depressed and lonely, and just wanted to not be where he was which was a preteen, who hated school and missed Robin. He started to re-read the letters Robin sent him after he moved. He realized how much he missed her and so he asked his mother if they can move back to Vancouver to be with Robin. She was hesitant at first but ultimately she decided to make him happy because he was miserable for a long time. Moving back to Vancouver was the right decision then and he knows he is making the right decision now. He just wants to see his father again because of what his mother told him.

He knocks and then rings the bell once. He is so nervous that his palms are sweating. He hasn’t seen his father in years this is so nerve racking.

A lady, who is maybe in her early 40s, maybe later 40s answers the door.

“May I help you?” The lady asks wondering who this young man standing in front of her is.

“Uhm,” Barney hesitates to say something to the lady, he’s nervous to see his father for the first time in over ten years. “I hope I’m at the right place. Is, Jerome Whittaker here?” The next thing Barney hears is a man inside the house who’s at the door.

“There’s a young man here to see you.” The lady says allowing the man to go to see who was at his door.

“Um hi, dad.” He remembers who he is and how he looks, it wasn’t that long ago that he left him and he was old enough to remember his father. 

Jerry is shocked to see his son after all these years. Ten years, it seems like a lifetime ago when he left. Loretta kicked him out of his life and for a while he wasn’t happy. He started to drink again more heavier than he did in the past, felt like he let Barney down by not telling him that he’s leaving. It’s been so long but he remembers who his son is and imagined how he looked today. Now that he’s standing here, in front of him after all these years Jerry is overwhelmed by his son’s presence.

“Barney?” He is completely in shock to see his grown son in front of his very eyes. He had missed him but over the years he started to move on from his mistakes in the past, mainly leaving Barney the way he did.

“Wow, it is so... wonderful to see you. What are you doing here?” As the emotional moment between father and son stopped overwhelming them. Jerry finally asks what he’s doing here, Barney didn’t even call him to tell him he’s coming to see him.

“I wanted to come see you it’s been a long time and I wanted to ask you something. It’s important!” Jerry allows his son to enter his home and the woman who answered the door asks Barney if he’d like something to eat or drink. Barney says no, but thanks the woman.

“So, what are you doing here and what is so important?” Jerry asks after they go over to the couch and sit down to talk.

“I came here, because there is going to be something happening in my life soon and I wanted to ask you something. I never asked this question until today, when I went to go see mom. I told her something important that is going to happen in my life and she confessed something to me about why you broke up and left me when you did. I want to get your end of the story because I’ve been thinking about it in the last hour and a half. What did really happen between you and mom to break you up? And why did you leave without telling me that you were leaving?” Jerry sighs shocked that Barney wants to know why he left. It’s a really hard complicated reason behind him leaving. He hadn’t thought of this in years not since he settled down with his wife Cheryl and had his two kids. He wanted for his kids to not see how much of a screw up he was raising Barney so he tried to be a good father and a good partner to his wife. But this question makes him rethink about this all over again after years of trying not to think about his past life and the mess he made of both his relationship with Loretta and being a father. It was so hard to not mess up, he was a good father but Loretta was just not in love with him and their relationship crumbled completely because she didn’t want to commit to him. She kept turning him down whenever he proposed, which was three times. Three years after they met, he proposed during his tour with his band. He proposes again when Barney was born and then again when Barney was three years old. But every time they tried to evolve in their relationship and it got to that point of committing to each other more, Loretta always turned him down. And there were so many other problems that couldn’t be fixed. The last straw was when he took Barney to history museum and let him run around and knock down the blue whale. When Loretta found out about that, it was the biggest fight they ever had and she was done. She tells Jerry that she doesn’t want him in Barney’s life anymore and kicks him out of the house while he was in school. He wanted to tell him that he was was leaving but never got to, he just found a way to move on. It took years, but he eventually does and he’s very happy in his life now.

“Your mother didn’t want me to. I pleaded with her to allow me to say goodbye to you but she said no, that she didn’t want me to break your heart. Plus, you were at school at the time and it was the morning after the blue whale incident. She just had enough and wanted me out of her life that included your life as well, mostly you. I was devastated to walk away from you but it wasn’t because I didn’t love you. I was just not a good parent or partner to your mother. We just didn’t love each other, we tried to work because she got pregnant with you, but we realized that as much as we tried in our relationship it just never became something we wanted... meaning, weren’t evolving in the relationship. It was difficult for me after I left, I went on a downward spiral and had started drinking a lot, I booked more gigs and slept around. I even contemplated suicide at one point. I regretted the way I left you, but I didn’t regret your mother and I breaking up. It was bound to happen. We just tried to ignore it for a long time because of you.” Barney’s in tears, he has never been told the true story of why his father left until now and it’s making him remember things from his childhood that he tried to not think about in years.

His parents weren’t good for each other and that’s the reason why they broke up. It wasn’t because of him. He had thought that it was his fault that he left, but it wasn’t. It was his parents messy relationship. Not his fault, it’s so hard to hear the truth about his parents history and his childhood.

“I-I am so sorry. All this time I thought it was my fault you left but it wasn’t.” Barney wipes his face from crying in the last few minutes trying to come to terms with his own relationship. Which is completely different from his parents or Robin’s parents who had even more problems than his parents.

“I, I have been in a relationship for six years now. If you remember Robin? We have been together since high school.” Barney doesn’t know if Jerry knows that he moved back to Vancouver with Loretta after going through his own depressing period in his life. It was right after he left.

“Robin? Robin Scherbatsky?” The smile on Jerry’s face is more than a smile, he’s genuinely surprised that his son and his childhood friend are together romantically now.

“Yes. Mom and I went back to Vancouver after you left me. I was going through a tough time and I started to miss her and miss Vancouver so I begged her for us to go back and we did. Robin and I started dating when I was a Senior and she was a Sophomore. We’ve been together ever since.” Wow, Jerry’s shocked, surprised but happy for his son. He wasn’t around a lot when Barney and Robin were younger, he was on the road a lot which is why his relationship with Loretta didn’t work. Well one of the reasons why. The other was because they didn’t love each other and eventually they figured that out and decided to end their relationship but it was Loretta who didn’t allow him to be in Barney’s life.

“Well, you know I have always liked Robin. I thought you two were cute when you were kids. So, you and Robin are together? That’s wonderful.” And now the conversation changing to being a happy one after the emotions had died down. They move on from that sad conversation to a happy one and it’s a relief because both were too emotional over what happened in the past.

“Yeah, and we’re really happy. We just moved back to New York after she got a promotion from her job. We wanted to always be together and so we decided together to come back here. The reason why I came here was because I wanted to find out what happened to make you leave me. Now that I know, I can move on from that and...” Barney goes into his pocket and pulls out a black leather box.

“Propose. I am going to propose to Robin very soon.”

“Wow, Barney that’s some huge rock. Must have cost you a fortune.” Jerry wonders how he could afford this ring when he’s so young. When he was Barney’s age he couldn’t afford rent let alone an engagement ring.

“Yeah, it was a lot but it’s worth it but Robin is worth it. I love her, and I wanted the best ring for her because she deserves it. She’s been very supportive of me and has been my best friend for all these years. Loving her made me happy and whole after being so unhappy after you left.” Barney didn’t take this proposal half heartedly. He has thought about this for a long time, he just needed the money and the right time to propose. He was going to propose last week but couldn’t since Robin was promoted for her job. He had to put his plans to propose on hold. He wants to propose this weekend.

“Well, congrats you have grown into a wonderful young adult. I’m glad my leaving didn’t screw you up. I’m glad that Robin was there for you after I left.” Jerry was worried that Barney would grow up resenting him for leaving and not grow up to be such a lovely young man, and adult. Robin being in his life helped Barney not mess up his own life.

“I’m happy that you’re happy for me. Robin has been my rock all these years. I want to live the rest of my life knowing that I have her in my life. I don’t want to ever be without her that’s why I came with her to New York.”

“I think I have something for you. Barney, you have grown into a good man and a fine adult. Since you are my oldest, I want to give you something that is special to my family.” 

Jerry gets up and asks Barney to follow him to his home office. They get there and Jerry goes over to his desk and takes out a square box. A red square box.

“So, my mother gave this to me, who was given this by her mother and her mother before her. This is your great, great grandmother’s ring. I want you to give this to Robin and resell or pawn the ring you have. It’s a lovely ring but Robin is like family and she deserves to have a family heirloom on her finger.” Jerry hands Barney the box and he opens it.

His face lights up like a Christmas tree, this ring is absolutely stunning. And it’s a family heirloom, he is stunned that his father had saved this ring but even more so because he gave it to him to give to Robin.

“I-dad, I don’t know what to say.” Tearing up looking at the ring, Barney is overcome with how gorgeous the ring is and the genuine-ness of his father’s joy when he gives him his grandmother’s ring.

“Robin, is worth any ring you give her son. But I want her to have this ring because she’s family. Your mother and I didn’t have the kind of love you two have. I had wanted to give this to your mother many times but we never got there because we knew our relationship wouldn’t work. But, you and Robin are different. You have always known that you love each other and I noticed this when you were kids. Robin is going to be family she deserves a piece of your family because she is your family.” Barney wasn’t going to accept this ring at first but his father’s speech changed his mind.

“Thank you, I really don’t know what else to say.” Barney closes the box and hugs his dad. For the first time in over ten years he hugs his father and it isn’t a goodbye hug. It’s I finally have my dad back in my life hug.

“Congratulations, son and please give Robin my best.” After this Barney does stay for dinner and spends the next hour and a half getting to know his step mother, brother and sister.


	3. A Simple Proposal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took me a while to update this. I want to just inform readers that these first three chapters are about BR’s move to NY they get engaged and then the main story is them meeting the gang, that will be in different parts of the next few chapters. They will meet each one of the gang but in different ways than the show. So if you were wondering what will be going on in this story it isn’t exactly like the show or canon it’s very different.
> 
> I hope you all like this story so far, I will update more regularly before the end of the year.

Two days after Barney sees his father he is ready to set up his plan to propose he wasn’t sure what he wanted to do for this proposal. The only thing he knew was that the proposal had to be perfect, it had to go smoothly. This was the moment he waited for since deciding to propose, it has to be and go perfectly. He waited for two months to really think about this, he thought about it more when Robin got her promotion because he wasn’t sure if they would be together so he made a plan to propose, they could have a distant relationship if she moves to New York. When she asked him to go with her, he knew right away that he wanted to go because he would not be happy in Toronto alone. Telling his boss wasn’t how he thought the conversation would go, so he quit and that night when Robin came home from work he told her that he had to quit his job because his boss forced him to make a decision: either stay and get promoted or quit. His mind was already made up by the time he saw his boss that day. Moving to New York with Robin was his only choice. He hadn’t been in that job for that long but he always has known that Robin is his future. So he quit and the next day he and Robin move to New York to make a new start.

While, Robin is at work Barney puts his plan to propose in motion. He knows that Robin’s favorite flower is purple lilies she also likes cornflower, the beautiful color of it. So Barney bought 100 lilies, 100 cornflowers and 100 roses in these colors purple and cornflower blue. He set up their apartment with the flowers, candles all over the place, a note on the front door, some light music with the song they danced to at their prom together, which is their song. Truly Madly Deeply by Savage Garden they danced to this song at his prom before he graduated and went off to college.

The whole proposal is set, Robin would be home any minute he hopes that this proposal goes off without any issues.

Unfortunately, for Barney. Robin didn’t come home as expected he waits another ten minutes for her to open the door after reading the note on the front door. Another 30 minutes later he gets a call from her.

“Barney, I know I said I would be home at 8 but my boss wanted me to finish up some paperwork. I’m sorry, I will be home soon see you later.” He didn’t pick up when she called and hears the message after she finished her message.

He was disappointed, yes he knew that her work is important but he is still not happy that she didn’t come home when she said she was. Barney blows out the candles, vacuums up the flowers on the floor and turned off the music. Last he takes the note off the door. His proposal did not happen as he planned it. He soon just goes to the bedroom and goes to sleep. When Robin comes home the apartment is dark and there’s nothing on, no lights, no tv, no music and everything that was set for Barney’s proposal was gone.

She goes to the bedroom to see Barney spread out on the bed asleep. She wanted to tell him about her day, how her second first day at her new job had gone. How she already got a great story to take on as she is given more stories as a correspondent, she’s really happy so far with where her job is.

“Hey, babe I’m home.” She says sitting on the bed next to him.

Barney doesn’t respond to her right then, she has to give him a little nudge to wake him up. She’s really excited about where her job and career will go.

“Hey.” He finally wakes up after she repeats his name and pushes him a little to wake him.

“So, guess what?” Barney is still disappointed that his plan to propose didn’t happen but when Robin is happy about something he’s going to listen to her, her happiness is why he moved here. He knows she would be lonely without him, he is her happiness.

He’s not going to show her how upset he is he’s glad she’s home. He’s never going to be mad about her staying a little late for her job and he won’t hold that over her head because that’s not how their relationship works.

“What?” He sits up on the bed rubbing his eyes. He had been crying a little over the disappointment that she didn’t come home when she said she would, he was so upset that he didn’t go to sleep right away, he laid on the bed thinking, and then started tearing up at the thought of his proposal.

“My boss said that my first two live segments were a hit, he is giving me more stories to do. I have a story tomorrow about a guy and his horse carriage. It’s supposed to be some sort of celebration because the guy who owns the horse is retiring.” He wanted to laugh at the horse carriage interview but he holds back his laughter and just smiles.

“That’s great, baby. I’m happy for you. Yes it’s a slow start to your job but it’s why we came here. The stories you will get to tell, you’re just getting started.” Despite his disappointment over her not coming home earlier, he’s happy that she’s enjoying her job. Yes they are only giving her these types of stories to cover because she just started her job but if she’s happy about these stories she gets then he’s happy for her.

“I’m sorry I had to work late, I hope your day was good.” Since leaving his good paid job to move to New York he is now jobless, he had looked for a job earlier today but hasn’t found anything. His old boss in Toronto didn’t give him any recommendations for another job and the company in Toronto is starting to branch out. His boss was just really angry that he decided to move to New York. So he has to start all over and find something else.

“It was okay, I looked for work but haven’t found anything yet. Boss stick in the mud was pissed at me for leaving the company so I can be with you.” His boss didn’t understand why he made the decision he made losing Robin wasn’t an option she was the only reason for leaving his job.

“You will find something. In the meantime, what else did you do today?”

“I,” he wasn’t sure if he should tell her the reason why he went to see his mother the other day and it led him to go reunite with his father. “I didn’t tell you this two days ago but I actually went to go see my mother.” He doesn’t want her to know that he planned on proposing tonight he decided to wait until the time is right. When they’re both are available and not busy trying to settle in, after they just moved here from Toronto.

“Oh, how is she?” Robin hasn’t seen Loretta or spoke to her in a long time, not since last December when they went back to Vancouver for the holidays.

“She’s well, she told me something that I didn’t know about her and my father’s relationship, it was kind of shocking.” He wants to tell her this because she knows his parents.

“What did she tell you?”

“My parents had a horrible relationship, they were only together because of me. They weren’t in a relationship before I was born but after I was born they tried to have more of a relationship but it didn’t work out they were always fighting. I always blamed myself for my dad leaving, but I know now that his leaving wasn’t my fault. My parents were just not in love...” he pauses and takes her hand. “But it’s different for us, we aren’t like our parents and I promise you that whatever happens in our lives I will always love you. I will be there for you and we’ll work whatever problems we have because I don’t ever want to lose you. I think the lesson I learned about my parents relationship is that if something isn’t working within the relationship then it’s best to part ways. Whatever we do together or apart I know our lives are going to be happy.” As he continues on with his speech (this is what he wanted to say to her before he proposed but she had to stay late a work and didn’t get to) so he says what he wants to say to her to let her know that he is going to make her happy and their relationship even if they fight or argue they will always work things out, together because he knows and she knows that they have always been happy when they’re together.

She’s crying at his speech, this was very touching. She loves Barney so much, she asked him to come along with her to New York because she didn’t want to be alone in a city where she didn’t know anyone. Being without him would make her miserable just like he was when he moved back to Staten Island and before he moved back to Vancouver after his father walked out of his life.

Barney, wanted to wait. He really did but he wants to do this now. Having this be romantic with a beautiful picturesque scene was what he wanted to do for this proposal but he realizes that they don’t need an over the top romantic proposal scene. He gets up from the bed and opens the nightstand where he has put the ring in when he was disappointed that she had to work a little late and didn’t get to propose the way he wanted. Robin is still sitting on the bed wondering what he was doing, he walks around to her and kneels down in front of her taking her hand in his again, he looks directly in her eyes...

“Robin, I never want to be without you. I made a promise to myself that when we first got together I wanted to be with you forever. Anytime we were apart I would miss you, even when I was in college I would think of you every minute of every day. When you made the decision to move to Toronto to be with me I knew that I can never go on without you in my life. And so with that, I moved here to be with you and start a new path together. You are my future, Robin you will always be what I want more in life. You are my best friend, my one and only true love and I am going to give you the life and happiness you deserve. After I saw my mother the other day I went to go see my dad. It was the first time in over ten years that I saw him. He told me that he had to walk away from me because my mother thought it would be best for me, my life after he left wasn’t happy. Like you know I was miserable and missed you, so I moved back to Vancouver to be with you. Every moment with you since we got together has been wonderful and I want those wonderful times we share together to be forever.”

She’s crying, she had started tearing up when he told her about his parents but once she knew what he was going to do she started to cry more, his speech turned her tears into full blown sobs. She has waited for this moment. She used to think that marriage wasn’t for her, or for Barney but she knows she can’t see her life without being his partner in life. This speech was so beautiful, so loving that she allows him to finish what he wants to say and when he does she instantly says yes.

“Will you marry me?”

“Yes.”

With a nod and smile, Robin happily accepts his proposal and it has to be the happiest moment of her young life. For years, they both knew they wanted to spend their lives together and both never thought of being with anyone else.

“I had this whole romantic set up earlier to propose but I had to get rid of it because you didn’t come home when you said you did. But this is a much more better way for me to say to you what I wanted.” It’s late, almost 12 they are laying in bed post engagement talking lightly as they calm themselves from their love making.

“You know I don’t like that romantic stuff. It’s too much. I prefer the way you proposed, it was the perfect proposal.” Robin knows that he wanted to go all out for her and it would have been sweet but she doesn’t like that over the top romantic elaborate stuff in relationships she likes simple and from the heart.

This proposal was supposed be a big elaborate beautiful scene with him proposing to her when she opened the door, he would have been there down on one knee saying his speech and then proposing. But this was much more intimate and more their style. They aren’t big with romantic things it isn’t something that makes their relationship work so this was the better way to say ‘I love you and I don’t ever want to be without you,’ their relationship is simple that’s how this proposal went.


	4. With Every Failed Experience Comes One Opportunity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barney finally gets an opportunity for a job and it soon takes a turn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a little bit of what this story will become. Most of the stuff in this story is from canon but it’s in an alternate universe so within the story things get intense and that creates some drama.
> 
> In the next chapters Barney and Robin slowly meet the gang that is the center of this story. The friendships they make become a happy future for them that journey has its prices. Barney’s job is the same as canon, everyone’s jobs are like canon but with a slightly dark twist on them.
> 
> I hope readers are liking this so far this is going to be a long story I have no end for this story yet so I don’t know how the story will end for now though it begins the nightmare of Barney’s job.

_Sorry I’m running late, had to get some last minute things done. Will be there shortly!_

Two weeks after moving to New York Robin had been consistently busy with her job. Barney had been looking for work ever since they moved here but he’s not getting anywhere. Barney wants to meet Robin on this night, they have been going to this local bar every night before she goes to work. Her work hours are at night so every night before she goes to work they meet at this bar which Barney had been going to every time he went on an interview and failed to get the job. Today is the same as it’s been in the last two week, Barney has been frustrated trying to look for a job in the financial field. He knew it would be hard since leaving a solid job in Toronto to move here with Robin. He was even worried that he wouldn’t find a job as good or secure as the one he had in Toronto but he had hoped that New York would be good for his career as it is for Robin’s. So, it’s been really hard to find something, anything but nobody is giving him a change.

_I’ll be here, I just had another failed interview._

_Aw, I’m sorry baby. We’ll talk when I get there._

It’s 7pm, Barney has been sitting here drinking trying to wipe his mind off his fourth failed interview. Until, an old friend of his came to the bar after he left work. This old friend was from his childhood, before he moved back to Vancouver Doug Ashton he now works for an agency called Altracel, who is looking for someone to oversee their financial needs with a back called Goliath National Bank. 

“Barney? Barney Stinson?” Doug is shocked to see his childhood friend years after he left New York with his family to go to Vancouver. Doug never knew the reason why Barney left so suddenly because by the time Doug found out about Barney moving he had already left. Doug and a few others around his old block were his only friends when he was a kid.

Moving to Vancouver and all over the world when he dad was a roadie was hard on him because it didn’t give him and his brother stability. His family would travel a lot mostly because his father wanted them to go along with him on the road whenever he had a gig. For the first five years of his life Barney thought he was living a fun, adventurous, amazing life until his family moved to Vancouver where his mother tried to settle. His mother was always there for him and his brother, doing anything she could to help her family. His father was always away, on some gig and he realizes now that there was more strain on his parents relationship than he understood when he was young. He understands what happened now, after it was pointed out to him. But, Barney always dreamed of a stable lifestyle and when he meets Robin, she had been the only consistent stable thing in his life. When, his mother decided to move back to New York after having a reasonable stable life in Vancouver. Barney had started to miss that stable life, and missed Robin. When he was a teenager he started to rebel, he would play loud rock music at school and at home, he dress all in black during his goth phase, he would start smoking (he started smoking when he was 12), he would cut class and not care about school, grades or anything else. When his mother finds out about his rebellious ways (which was after Jerry had left them), his principal called his mother to inform her the the school suspended him for pulling a prank on one of the teachers. 

Loretta was so mad at him that she actually grounded him and that had never happened before. Then when he finally told his mother why he was doing the things he did was because he wasn’t happy, and he missed Robin and that stable life he had in Vancouver. That was when Loretta decided to take her boys and move back to Vancouver while putting her house on the market and selling it. Barney had already gone to Vancouver alone, by himself while Loretta and his brother James finished packing and selling their house. The first things he does once he gets settled in in Vancouver was seeing Robin, he went to her house. Her big mansion, her father’s house thinking that she still lived there... he was shocked when he found out that Robin had moved in with her mother.

“Doug?”

“Yeah, that’s me. What’s up dude? I haven’t seen you in years. How’ve you been?”

Barney had been unhappy and unsuccessful with his job search and had been waiting for Robin to come to the bar. But seeing his old friend actually made him a little bit more happier than he has been since moving here.

“Well, I moved back here with my fiancée two weeks ago. We had to move back for her job and I had to quit mine. I have actually been looking for a job but been very unsuccessful. I just came from my fourth interview.” Doug feels sorry for his friend, Barney was always smart and thought he would be a success but Doug gets why he hasn’t found a job here. Quitting his job to move here with his fiancée and seeing his fiancée having success in her own career and not getting anywhere with his own. That sucks! 

“Did you ever go into banking? You said if you ever did graduate and go to college you said you wanted to work in finance.” Barney didn’t always know what he wanted to do when he got older, he wanted to be many things but Robin was a big factor in him going into finance, he majored in finance in college and graduated with a bachelor’s degree that’s why when he looked for jobs in Toronto he found the one he had before moving back here with Robin for Robin. That was his first big job out of college and with doing what he decided to do while in college.

“That was my job in Toronto, the one I quit to come here. It was stable but I wanted to be with my fiancée, more than staying in Toronto in that job. But yeah this is my career, I’m still looking for something finance.” Oh good, Doug is glad that he ran into Barney because this opportunity he has for him is going to be great for his career.

“I’m glad I ran into you, I am working at Altracel.”

“Altracel? As in the tennis ball company?”

“No, that’s the other Altracel. No this company is a real estate developer. They actually build buildings.” Interesting, Barney thought. Is this going somewhere?

“Oh.”

“So, we are looking for someone to work in the finance department, keeping the books, making corrections that need to be made, keeping documents secured, keeping the numbers for the company managed. Stuff like that, if you want the job I can set you up for an interview this coming Monday. They are looking for someone now, immediately. I think you would be the right person for this job.” Barney thought about this opportunity for a minute, trying to find a way to say no and not take this job. But, for the last two weeks he hasn’t been happy because of every failed opportunity he had. So he couldn’t turn this job/opportunity down.

“Okay, yes I would like this job. I’m getting nowhere, I’m miserable because I’m not doing anything but coming to this bar almost every night waiting for my fiancée or just wanting a drink after another failed interview. I will take it, this might just be the start of something good.” Barney’s desperate, if he can’t get anywhere else with a job this opportunity is better than nothing.

“Great. I got to go but give me your information I will call you.” Barney gives his information, cell number, email, fax and his and Robin’s home number just to give Doug an extra way to get in touch with him. He really wants this job, he can’t keep failing at interviews and not getting anywhere with employment.

A few minutes later (half hour) Robin arrives to the bar as promised, Barney is sitting at a booth with a beer which means something happened that is good. His usual is scotch neat, for celebrations it’s champagne, scotch on the rocks or beer so him drinking beer could be a good thing since he’s been upset and unhappy not finding a job since moving here.

“Babe, sorry I’m late had to run some errands I have 45 minutes to spare, because I have to go to work they called me in for a story I need to cover for the 11pm news.” Robin has been so busy lately that she hasn’t had time to really be with Barney and help him through his struggles when it comes to his own career. She knew, they both knew that it would be hard to find a good job after quitting his solid one in Toronto.

“No worries. But I have good news.” Barney says lighting up after seeing Robin for the first time in 48 hours. She’s been on duty and on call for stories and they haven’t seen much of each other since moving here even though they live together.

“Oh?”

“Yeah, a childhood friend of mine offered me a job at Altracel.”

“The tennis ball company?”

“No, this deals with real estate. They want someone to deal with their banking needs and my friend knew that I was in the banking field. With the luck I’ve had in the last two weeks I had no other options. I’ve gotten nowhere, but this seems to be a good start for my career here.” Moving to New York, he knew it would be hard but getting this job opportunity is better than never getting a job in his field expertise especially with his two years of experience.

“Wow, sweetie that’s great. I’m proud of you, I know it’s been hard since we moved here but you’re smart, reliable and are good at your job.” Barney for the first time in two weeks smiles hopeful that this move here was the right one. Robin being by his side, supportive of him all these years it’s truly great to have her as his partner and he’s happy that he decided to move here without much thought on how his life with go, besides being with Robin.

“It’s a good start. My friend is going to get back to me on an interview.” He’s really excited to explore this new life, with Robin and this new job he doesn’t have a care in life right now. He’s hopeful that this is the start of something amazing.

The next day, Barney gets a call from Doug and sets up an on site interview with his boss for that Monday. 

“Barney Stinson!”

“Greg Fisher, it’s nice to meet you. Doug told me a lot about you.” This is the first interview he’s had since moving here that he knew beforehand he would already have the job. Because according to Doug this job needs to be filled immediately. Barney didn’t know what the job actually required him to do, he thought it would be the basics of an accounting job but it turns out that they want him to do everything good and bad that the company wants. Altracel has operations all over the world and is still expanding, they are expanding to other companies and markets Galiath National Bank is taking over the business end of the company.

“Well, I have known him since my childhood he was the first person I told about what I wanted to do when I get older. I wasn’t completely sure if I still wanted to work with numbers in some way, until I went to college. My fiancée actually helped me decide what major I wanted to take in college. But I always wanted to be an accountant and work with numbers.” He is nervous, so before coming here he had practiced his interview skills. He had gotten his last job by recommendation after interning at another bank. But this interview is nerve racking because he really wants this interview to go smoothly even though he knows this is a shoe-in for him. Doug said they wanted to hire someone immediately, soon as possible so he can’t blow this.

“You let your fiancée tell you what to do with your life?” Not the typical interview question, nobody asks personal questions on interviews unless the questions are about the job.

“No, I do not. She just... we help each other in life and give each other advice that’s what a partner does for you.” Greg doesn’t get what Barney is trying to tell him, Greg thinks he’s too much of a pussy to actually do what this job requires.

“Well, tell your fiancée to stay out of your own decisions. Now, what makes you think you’re a good choice for this job?” Back to the questions that Barney was expecting, but the attitude of Greg doesn’t sit well with him.

“I, understand numbers. I work quick and get things done. This is a hands on skilled job and I am skilled to take on what it requires me to do.” Good answer, because this job requires some underhanded corrupt work. But Barney isn’t going to find that out right now but he seems naive enough to follow the company’s rules and guidelines.

“Ok, Barney you are hired.”

“Really?”

“I think you’re going to fit right in at this company.” 

“Well, thank you. You don’t realize how grateful I am for this opportunity. I’ve been here for two weeks and have gotten nowhere with a job. I thank you for allowing me to take this job on.” Barney is so excited this has been the happiest day since moving here.

“Be here tomorrow 8am we need to go over the duties for the job and provide you with your own office.” An office this soon? Barney is more and more loving this new job... without knowing what he will actually be doing.

Barney, for the first time in two weeks feels great about this job, he’s excited and ready to take on this important position in this company. It’s a good day for him, leaving Toronto wasn’t easy but he knew he didn’t want to be without Robin.

“Robin, you wouldn’t believe how good this interview was today. I got the job and will start tomorrow.” The first thing he did after leaving the interview was call Robin, to tell her about the interview because she wanted to know how it went plus he always tells her important things. This is the most important thing to happen for him since moving here. He is beyond relieved to finally have a job.

“Wow, babe that’s great. We need to celebrate I can meet you in about an hour at the bar.”

“Can’t wait. See you later, love you.”

“Love you too.”

This job might be what Barney has been desperately searching for since moving to New York but he doesn’t know what he will be doing for this company and the things that Greg said to him earlier still doesn’t sit well with him. After so many failed attempts at a job, that doesn’t do underhanded activities and corrupt practices. Barney feels good about the job but there’s something that doesn’t feel right to him. Working for these kinds of people at this corporate company that’s never something he wanted to do when he got into this type of career. As the day goes on and talks to Robin (without telling her this weird sick feeling in his stomach) seeing her helped take his mind off his bad thoughts. He feels uneasy, this sickening feeling that he didn’t have in Toronto because that job wasn’t corrupt. Continues to worry him, as he went to bed this feeling he has doesn’t go away. With Robin at work, he finds it hard to sleep without her here. On this night, for the first time in his life. Barney Stinson doesn’t sleep at all, he stood up worried about the next day and what will happen on his first day at this job.


	5. The Job Isn’t Correct (There’s An Error)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just an FYI: Within this story you’ll recognize canon names, meaning characters who were on the series are mentioned in the story. James is still Barney’s brother but his job is an importance in the story. James and Barney are four years apart there is a little background on their relationship and what had happened in the years after James moved back to NY.
> 
> This chapter extends on Barney’s job, it’s the main plot to this story. Another fyi Barney and Robin are happy and are together throughout the story but there will be some drama coming and that starts with Barney meeting one of their friends... that friend will show up in the next chapter.

Barney’s first day at his new job wasn’t what he expected it would be when they hired him. He went into this job not knowing what the job fully entails but he was positive that they hired him because of his skills and smarts in numbers and not because they are hiding deep dark secrets within the company. The CEO and CFO have been doing underhanded things which Barney has been trying to figure out the last two days. When he arrives on his first day he meets Gary, Gary Blauman who is his boss’s assistant. Gary tells him what his job is, what to do and what not to do.

“So, you’ll be required to make all assessments to every document that comes to your desk. You should make copies of each paper you review and sign them. Then you give them to Greg. Your job will to make sure that every number on those papers are correct don’t worry about proofing them too much just look them over once then give them to Greg. It’s simple stuff but I know you’ll fit right in here and follow the rules set forth by our office.” As Barney learned what his job requires of him to do, he began to get a funny but sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach he doesn’t want to question what this company is asking him to do because it’s only his first day and he’s been desperate to find a good job. But he still finds some of the things he has to do questionable.

“Okay, what else do I have to do besides reviewing and signing paperwork?” Barney asks wanting to make sure that Gary one of his new colleagues who just showed him the ropes of his job on his first day.

“Just make sure the numbers are correct and each document is signed. I will review them and then they will go on Greg’s desk.” Neither Gary or Barney know what’s going on within the company or this bank yet but as the day goes on Barney starts to feel uneasy about the work he’s doing.

“Alright. Thanks for showing me around and what this job requires I am grateful that Greg gave me a chance it’s been hard since moving here.” Barney is skeptical of his new job but doesn’t question anything it’s best for his sanity to not think anything bad about this new job, at least not on his first day.

As the day goes on Barney meets more of his colleagues and befriends one of Doug’s friends. On his first day and morning the papers he has to look over were a lot it took him four hours to go through all of them and review them once but curiosity got the better of him and he started to double check the papers by noon time he realized that there’s errors in his work so he rereads each paper and it’s a shocking revelation that sends his mind into over thinking about what he is seeing in each of the papers. When he was first told what to do with these papers he had a bad feeling that the things he’s required to do is illegal. 

When lunch rolled around he began to think that nothing he was doing added up. So he doesn’t go to lunch and spends the time figuring out what he was doing that was wrong or incorrect. He comes across a file that he kind of skimmed over and in that file he finds out just what this company is doing.

“Treason, they’re criminals.” Shocked by this claim he quickly fixes the mistake on this document to the right numbers and calculates the numbers into his computer and onto a separate sheet of paper for his own records. Because he has to send these to Greg’s desk he makes sure to not fix the mistakes on the original document. And then he takes a break nervous that this job is criminal and it worries him that if he fixes any of the original documents he will get in trouble. He knows that correcting the mistakes isn’t part of his job but he still keeps a record of the file.

Barney sits at his desk shocked about what he just saw and did. Throughout the rest of the day he is constantly thinking about what to do about what he found out. It distracts his concentration and doesn’t overly checks the next documents Gary sent him. When he leaves the office at 6 he doesn’t go home he goes to the bar, he needs a drink and to think about what he just found out about the company he works for.

“Barney, Stinson been a long time.” Barney had been sitting at the bar for an hour now thinking about what happened at work when someone taps him on the shoulder. He turns around the see the last person he ever expected to see again.

“Shannon?” Shannon was an old girlfriend, he had broken up with her a month before he moved back to Vancouver. He never thought he would see her again after the way he had broken off their relationship.

“How long has it been since we last saw each other?“ the last time he saw her they were 14, they dated for a year before he realized he missed Robin, was feeling alone and hadn’t received a letter from Robin in months so the months before he broke up the relationship with Shannon he had been ignoring her and pushed her away. He thought he was losing Robin and Shannon was a distraction. When he broke off their relationship they had gotten into a fight over him not being emotionally available and pushing her away.

“Nine years.” He felt bad after he broke up the relationship but at the time he wasn’t happy and it affected his mood especially when his dad walked out of his life. Shannon was a friend who he happened to become close with when he moved back to New York and their closeness helped to forget about Robin for a good solid seven months before the letters stopped and he became depressed. When he broke up with Shannon he didn’t even say why he was breaking up with her. He didn’t tell anyone he was leaving he just left which hurt Shannon.

“How’s it been?” It had taken a long while for her to forgive Barney for leaving her and not telling her that he was moving away without telling her.

“Good. I just moved back to New York with my fiancée and just came from my first day at my new job.” Shannon is taken aback by Barney being engaged. He broke her heart so much and for a reason she didn’t understand. Of course they were young and they were moving quite fast in their relationship but he just left... she never got an explanation why he broke up with her and moved away. Doug had to tell her that Barney moved but she never knew the reason why he moved away.

“Oh, that’s nice.” Shannon says pushed her hair back with her hand to the back of her ear disappointedly looking down sad about him being engaged.

“Yeah.” He says smiling lightly. If she knew the reason he broke up with her this encounter will not end well.

“How are you? How’s your life going?” Shannon has been dating someone, for about three months, she doesn’t know what will happen with the relationship it’s still pretty new but she likes the guy and he makes her happy.

“Good. I went to college and got my bachelors in economics I just came from work myself. I’m also dating someone, but it’s pretty new. I...” how is she going to bring this up all these years later? She desperately wants to ask him why he broke up their relationship and moved away without telling her.

“Why didn’t you tell me you moved after you broke my heart.” She wants to sound more angry but her voice comes out more sadder than she wanted it to sound.

“I was going through some stuff at the time. It was a tough time for me. Emotionally, the reason why I broke up with you was because I was just not in my right mind. I was missing my best friend and I wasn’t happy in New York anymore I asked my mother if I can move back to Vancouver and she respected my decision. I just didn’t know how to tell you it was too soon after we broke up. I’m sorry I wasn’t honest with you back then but I am truly sorry for the way I treated you.” After the breakup Barney did initially feel bad for the way he left things with Shannon. He was young, unhappy and had other things on his mind. Truthfully, he wasn’t invested in his relationship with Shannon.

Shannon was mad with him for a long time but she did get over Barney leaving without telling her. After all these years he apologizes and it allows her to move on from that part of her life. Even though she moved on years ago it’s still nice of Barney to apologize after so many years thinking that she was the reason they broke up and he moved away.

“Would you like a drink?” Barney offers, it’s a friendly offer, Shannon was once an important person in his life and maybe they can still be friends.

“Sure.” Shannon sits down next to him and he orders for himself and then her in which he asks her what she would like.

After so many years away from New York Barney finally feels like his life is back to normal the only thing that he isn’t so sure of his his job and what to do about the illegal activity the company is doing.

After 45 minutes sitting, chatting and drinking Barney and Shannon end up exchanging numbers and their reunion ends on good terms. Barney leaves to go home without thinking too much about work. He wonders if Robin is home yet, it takes another hour to get to Brooklyn hoping to see his fiancée. She’s been so busy lately that it’s been hard for him not seeing her every day like he has since they started dating. But now that he has a job he hopes that his relationship continues to evolve.

Being engaged helped settle his life, he’s really happy and proud to see where Robin’s career will go. But his career as much as he likes this new job he just doesn’t know what to do about what he found out earlier today.

“Hi.” He is so glad that Robin is home, he was unsure if she was done with work it’s nice to come home to his fiancée and know he did the right thing in leaving New York, Shannon and Doug behind to follow his heart.

“Hey. How was your first day?” His home life is so normal that he almost forgets that his job isn’t what he expected it would be.

“It was interesting.” Even though they tell each other everything that matters, this information about his job is something he doesn’t know much about and doesn’t think it’s right to discuss his job with Robin at least not right now. Until he figures out more about this illegal activity in the company he knows it’s best to not say anything about it.

“Interesting? How is it interesting?” He walks over to her and gives her a quick kiss happy to be home.

“Nothing in particular it was just nice to have a job again.” Maybe he’s wrong, maybe GNB isn’t doing underhanded things. Maybe he’s just thinking too much about what he saw on those papers today.

“I’m happy for you babe, we are finally living the dream. I’m getting amazing stories to cover and you’re doing what you love. I told you when we moved here that we were going to make something of our lives together and we are. It’s just the beginning for us...” yeah he doesn’t know what to think right now but the good thing about moving here is the fact that he has Robin, his wonderful, beautiful, amazing fiancée. And he’s closer to his family, maybe he’s thinking about this work stuff all wrong. Maybe there isn’t anything bad about his job.

The next day he goes into work like nothing has been on his mind and goes on with his work day like normal. He marks each paper handed to him, proofs them by making the corrections if necessary, double checks his work, enters the results in the computer and then sends them to Greg’s desk. As the day goes on he begins to think about the incorrect numbers on the papers he looked over this morning and it turns out that he was right. After work he goes to see the only person he knows in New York to help him figure out what to do.

“Little brother... what are you doing here?” Barney hasn’t seen James in three years, they keep in touch but their lives were different, James is four years older than him and had his own life so when James went back to New York before Barney graduated high school he was finishing up college and becoming a PI. James always wanted to be a detective, as kids they would play cops and robbers, he would be the cop and Barney would be the robber. James never grew out of that fantasy and made it his reality.

“Bro, I moved back here... with Robin.” Barney smiles when he says his fiancée’s name it’s always nice to know that she is going to be his wife.

“Wow, so you two are still together?” James had no idea what was going on with his brother’s life, he thought him and Robin would have gone their separate ways but it seems like his little brother is happy. That only means that him and Robin are doing well in their relationship and lives.

“Yes, we just got engaged actually the other day.”

“Oh, wow that’s awesome Barney I know how much you love her.” Barney nods and smiles incredibly happy that he made that decision to move back to Vancouver when he did because if he didn’t he would have probably never seen Robin again. Trying to move on from her and make something work with Shannon was a good distraction but only because he felt alone at the time and missed Robin and her letters which stopped coming three months before he broke off his relationship with Shannon.

“I actually came here to talk to you about something.” They go inside James’ apartment, Barney is hoping to get some advice and help on the situation at work.

“What’s on your mind, bro?” They sit down and Barney is quiet at first not knowing what to say yet.

“So, I just started this new job with GNB.”

“GNB, Goliath National Bank?”

Yes, James knows about this company. He has been investigating them for two years. James can’t believe Barney would want to work for this horrible company. That doesn’t seem like Barney, no matter what the reason is Barney isn’t someone who would work for corporate companies especially one with a bad representation. This bank is one of the worst corrupt companies in New York.

“Yes. After Robin and I moved here, I had to start over after quitting my job in Toronto. Robin had gotten a promotion which had us moving back here, we didn’t want to be apart so I had to make a decision about my job. It was a sudden decision but it was the right one. But I had to start over. Do you remember Doug? My childhood friend?” If he didn’t move here, who knows what would have been with his relationship with Robin if he stayed in Toronto. He doesn’t doubt that he would miss her and would want to be with her. He made the right decision they are happily engaged and he’s very proud of Robin and where her career is going.

“Yes, I saw him years ago when I came back to New York when me and mom came back here. He asked me why you moved away without telling him. I told him that you wanted to stay in Vancouver I didn’t say why though.” James ran into Doug a few months after he moved back to New York but after that day he hadn’t seen him.

“I hadn’t had the best of luck with interviews I went on I was desperate to find something so I ran into Doug the other day and he offered me this job. I wasn’t sure if I should work with a corporation but I was desperate so I interviewed for the job and got it. I didn’t know everything about what I would have to do for the company but as I began working on the numbers for the company I noticed some errors.” Barney shows his brother some not all of the papers he ‘corrected’ in the last two days and it’s glaringly obvious that GNB is doing illegal activity.

“Oh, wow Barney this is definitely illegal. What are you going to do about this?”

“That’s why I came to see you. I need your help bro. I don’t want to lose this job, I need it. But the things they are doing it never sat right with me so I made sure twice over that these papers are right but they weren’t. I’m not supposed to change anything about this work, just hand it over to my boss’s assistant or my boss. But this didn’t seem right I knew I had to do something about this so that’s why I came to see you. I need you to do some investigating.” Barney didn’t want to do this only on his third day at this job but the things he is finding out in these three days is not right to him.

“I have been investigating them for two years. But this information proves that they really are doing dirty crimes. This helps further my investigation into this company.”

“You know about the bad things they’re doing?”

“Yeah, I just couldn’t find the proof now that there is proof I can further my investigation and find more evidence to conflict the CEO.”

Barney is shocked that James knows all about what GNB has been up to he is relieved that he isn’t the only one who knows these people and this company is bad news.

He left a good job, an honest job in Toronto to come here with Robin and desperately needed a job because he needs to support not only himself but Robin. They aren’t making a lot of money despite being in high paying jobs. Robin is still reporting news, not being an anchor which is her dream job. They only moved here because they thought it would be a good opportunity for both of them. But they are living in an apartment that is being paid by Robin’s job and he had trouble finding a job, that’s the only reason he agreed to interview for this job at GNB. He accepted the job without knowing full well what he would be doing for this job but he knows these numbers are wrong. This just doesn’t look normal, he can’t do his job right if this company is doing illegal things.


	6. Our New Friends (And One Friend With a Secret)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So, just a little information on where this story is going. The gang starts to meet each other, Barney, Robin, Marshall and Lily first then Ted comes into the story. This story isn’t about the gang it’s about Barney and Robin’s life after moving to NY a lot of this story will be about them while they try to live their lives. Barney’s secret is going to pull them apart but it won’t break them up. I hope you all are enjoying this, we are getting to the plot of this story but first four people (strangers) meet for the first time.

Robin, has been working for Metro New One for two weeks now but every story she gets is small, dull and irrelevant to what she thought she would get by taking this job. When her boss told her about this promotion she thought that she would be taking on bigger news, important news. But she’s been here in New York for two weeks and they aren’t giving her the stories she wants to do. She has a dream of becoming an anchor one day and she thought moving to New York would be a stepping stone to being an anchor but yet she hasn’t had the best stories to take on and she feels like this job doesn’t take her seriously.

The last story she did was about a smoking monkey, literally a smoking monkey. The chimpanzee actually smokes cigarettes. That report was just two days ago. Yes the chimp was cute but the interview was boring and the chimp’s handler wasn’t interesting. Just an hour ago her boss gave her another story to report, but she doesn’t want to do the interview. She thinks it’s another useless boring story...

“So, Scherbatsky I have a story for you. It’s at a school, you would be interviewing a teacher who had been teaching there for over a year.” A teacher? Kids? She’s no good with kids. Does she have to be around kids too at this school?

“Do I have to be around the children?” She asks not really liking this idea for a story. Kids aren’t her thing, everyone who knows her knows that she doesn’t take kindly to kids.

“No, you will interview the teacher only the kids will be out of school for the day by the time you interview this woman. I already cleared the interview with the school and the teacher. The school called us about this teacher getting the teacher of the year award so everything is set for you to do this report.” Thank goodness she doesn’t have to be around any kids. She doesn’t love kids but if she had to be around then she would have declined this interview or try to get out of it somehow.

“Okay, when is the interview?”

“Later today, at 4.”

All right, since she doesn’t have to be around kids she agrees to do this interview. Robin, for her whole life knew that she didn’t want kids, because they would hold her back from pursuing her career. When, she and Barney talked about a family when they were 18, both agreed that they didn’t want kids. He knows that she isn’t good with them, she’s never really liked them so they agreed to not have kids in their future together. If Barney wants kids someday she doesn’t know if they would have worked out, so he accepts this fact about her. But sometimes she sees him around kids and thinks maybe she is holding him back. But she can’t think about this right now she’s about to interview some teacher she needs to prepare for it.

“Are you Lily Aldrin?” Robin asks, the red head who was sitting at her desk seeming to be looking at papers. Ms. Aldrin is quite younger than she thought this teacher would be, Robin had no idea that she would be interviewing someone who is about her age. When she took on this assignment Robin thought she would be interviewing some older woman not someone who is her age.

“Yes, yes I am. And you must be my interviewer?” Lily had known that the school booked for her to be interviewed on the news after she won teacher of the year.

“Yes. Robin Scherbatsky.” Robin extends her hand to shake the other woman’s hand smiling and thanking all the gods there is that this teacher is her age and not older.

“So, where would you like to do this interview?” Lily asks wondering if the interview is going to be taken place either in this room or elsewhere.

“Right here is fine. It will only be a few minutes.” Okay this will work, Lily is pleased that the school didn’t make a bigger deal out of her being teacher of the year.

“I had been given this story just a few hours ago so bare with me while I ask these questions.” Robin feels a bit more at ease with this interview so far and she hasn’t even asked her questions yet.

“Okay, no problem. The school is making a big deal about me getting teacher of the year. I’ve only worked here for a year and a half.”

“Okay, Matt can we set up please?” Robin asks her cameraman.

They set up for the interview and Robin begins to ask Lily the questions that were pre-given to her by her boss.

“So, Ms. Aldrin. You said that you’ve been working for this school for a year and a half now. What made you want to become a teacher?”

“Well, this was my first job after I graduated college. I was a substitute while another teacher went on leave. It was a year ago when I became a full time teacher here.”

“What made you want to be a teacher?” Despite Robin’s dislike of children she likes Lily and her attitude about teaching young kids.

“I always liked kids, and always wanted to become a teacher. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to teacher older children or younger until this job came along then I decided to take this job because it was the first job that was offered to me after college I just had to take it.” Lily had been a little nervous to be on the news but these questions are easy enough that her nerves stop and she begins to feel at ease and relaxed with what this nice reporter is asking.

“What is the grade that you teach and are you happy being a teacher?” Robin had no idea the personal details of this young teacher’s life so asking these types of questions helps get to know the person she’s interviewing.

“First grade, I am very pleased with getting to teach these young minds every day.”

“And for my last question. How does it feel to be teacher of the year?”

“Honestly, I feel great about the amount of time I put in teaching. I like what I do and am happy with my work. I just love these kids and getting to live my dream.” 

After a few minutes talking both ladies had become less nervous about this conversation and more pleased and relaxed with the questions and answers that were asked and answered.

“Thank you for this interview I don’t know if you could tell that I was a little nervous about this interview.” Lily says pleased with her answers. Being asked these personal questions about her job wasn’t as hard as she thought because this nice woman asking them is about her age so she started to relax and answered the reporters questions as well as she could.

“No, I didn’t get that nervous feeling from you. But I could tell you if you were nervous I was a little nervous too.” Robin thinks she likes this Lily chick, this interview wasn’t as bad as she thought, taking on this interview wasn’t her idea but now she thinks it was maybe some kind of fate that her boss gave her this story to do.

“Why?” Lily asks, the reporter wasn’t seeming nervous to her as she asked her questions but then again both were hiding their nerves pretty well.

“I didn’t want to do this report at first because I don’t really take kindly to kids especially young kids and babies.” Robin feels like talking to someone her age who would understand her isn’t nerve racking either because Lily seems like a cool person and not someone who would judge her for not wanting kids.

“You don’t like kids?” Shocked by this Lily doesn’t realize that not everyone likes kids but she still asks “why don’t you like kids they’re harmless?”

“I’ve always been unsure around babies and young children always annoyed me for some reason I just never like children. I decided when I was young that I won’t have kids when I get older. I don’t know why I have this mindset but I just never thought I would be a good mother or mother figure. Children always made me nervous.” Robin seems to be opening up because she likes Lily and the way she speaks to her, it isn’t in a judgy tone. Robin speaks her mind like she would to anyone who truly knows and understands her like Barney does.

“I guess growing up and having an annoying little sister made me dislike the idea of children and I just didn’t grow out of that dislike.” Lily guesses she understands this woman’s dislike of children so she’s not going to judge her for knowing what she wants and who she is but her dislike of children doesn’t take from Lily liking this young reporter.

“Well, children are annoying but being a teach is worthy. I always wanted to be a mom.” Lily always dreamed of having kids, when she met her boyfriend she already knew that he would be her baby daddy. They’ve been together so long that talk about kids haven’t come up in years even though they talked about it when they were still in college.

“Hey, if you give me about three minutes would you like to go for a drink?” Lily really likes this woman she thinks maybe they could become friends.

“Um actually I have to go back to my office we can meet up in about an hour.” Robin wanted to take this offer right away but she needs to go back to the studio to bring in her report and talk to her boss.

“Yes, of course. I like you... sorry what’s your name reporter lady?”

“Robin, Robin Scherbatsky.”

“Well, Robin Scherbatsky it’s nice to meet you we’ll meet up later then.”

The ladies smile and Robin asks where she could meet her new friend “Maclaren’s, pub!”

“The one of the East side of the West side?”

“West side, my boyfriend and a friend of ours meet there all the time.”

“Really? I’ve been going to that bar since I moved here. It’s a really nice place.” How can Robin not have seen Lily at the bar she always goes to? What a small world.

“Where are you from?” As they leave Lily’s classroom they are walking out to the parking lot as they get to know each other more. They are both shocked that they hadn’t seen the other one at the bar they both frequent. 

“Canada, I just moved here two weeks ago for this job. It was supposed to be a promotion but it turns out that this job isn’t what I thought it would be.” 

“Let’s talk more at the bar, I really like to get to know more about you.” And so the ladies go their separate ways realizing that maybe for the first time since they both moved to New York that maybe this place won’t be so lonely.

Later on this evening Lily is already at the bar waiting for her new friend and drinking beers with her boyfriend. Robin comes in five minutes later with her man, and Lily’s man seems to already know who Robin’s man is.

“Marshall Erickson, I thought we’d never meet again.” Barney says shocked to see one of the young lawyers that Barney had met two days earlier while he was trying to get a lawyer to help him with what he found out about his own job. James had been informing him of the new information that he got on his company and man the stuff that he found out is shocking to say the least.

“Wait, you know Marshall who are you?” Lily asks, apparently her boyfriend knows this blonde guy who seems to be her new friends date.

“Barney, Barney Stinson I met Marshall a couple of days ago at his law firm.” Barney tries to explain as best he can how he knows Marshall while extending his hand to greet Robin’s new friend.

“Why do you need a lawyer?” Robin asks wondering why Barney is keeping... something from her.

“It’s something for work, no worries.” Robin doesn’t say anything more but she wants to because she knows Barney is keeping something from her.

“Barney, this is Lily. Lily this is my fiancé Barney.” Trying to not think too much about whatever it is Barney is up to, Robin decides to introduce him to Lily to break the apparent tension among the two men.

“Hi, Barney nice to meet you. I’m Lily, and apparently you know my boyfriend so I don’t have to introduce you two.” It’s really a small world when the two men in the new friends lives seem like they don’t like each other much, and knows each other for some reason both ladies wonder.

“Hi, Lily.” Barney looks at the red head and smiles as the two shake hands, he doesn’t want to ruin Robin’s new friendship this is supposed to be about Robin making new friends and not about him and his pending investigation of his job.

“I didn’t know you were engaged Robin. How did you not tell me that you are engaged earlier?” The two couples sit down at the both and continue talking as the gentlemen in their lives stare each other down like prey.

“I didn’t think it was appropriate since I was there to interview you. But I could say the same, why didn’t you say you have a boyfriend?” Robin really doesn’t want to know what’s going on with Barney so talking to Lily is a nice distraction from her thoughts on Barney and whatever it is she knows he’s up to.

“It wasn’t appropriate since you were there to interview me about my award.” As the ladies talk Marshall decides to end the silence between himself and Barney because he does like Barney but doesn’t really know him.

“So, Barney would you like to get some beers?”

“More like scotch.” Barney says, Marshall and Lily had been drinking beers but once Barney mentions scotch Marshall jumps at the chance to get up with Barney to go to order them scotch. He also wants to talk to Barney in private.

“Okay, so why didn’t you tell me that GNB was a criminal organization?” Marshall asks. The reason why they were both quiet was because they didn’t want the ladies to know what was going on between them and why they were ignoring each other and how they know each other.

“Because it was between me and my lawyer this has nothing to do with you.”

“Yes it does.”

“How?”

“My friend works for Altracel. And I don’t think he knows that his company is working with these criminals. How can I look at my best friend and tell him he’s working for some very bad people?” Marshall is just interning for the firm that is taking on Barney’s case against GNB but his best friend is working for the company that has money and stocks involved in his architecture firm. How can he tell his friend what’s really going on in his company and the bank that’s handling their money?.

“Don’t tell him, he doesn’t need to know. Nobody can know what I’m doing. I’m not the bad guy here, these people I’m working for are the bad guys not me. I’m just doing what I have to do. Nobody can know about this investigation if they do my cover will be blown. So please don’t tell anyone, I need this job. Not because I want to call out my company but because I need the money they pay me. I’m planning a wedding, my fiancé and I don’t have a lot of money. We just moved here and our success hasn’t been successful. I love my fiancée and want the best for her. This information needs to stay between us.” Marshall seems like a good guy, a loyal guy who wants the best for the people he cares about and so does Barney. But having this get out and Barney losing his job he can’t afford to lose his job right now. Plus these people, this bank are very bad people if this gets out worse things could happen.

“Okay.” Marshall says. Now that he kind of knows Barney a little more now from this conversation he actually likes him. He seems like a good guy, he won’t tell anyone about what’s really happening and why he knows Barney.

They go back to the table and for the rest of the evening the two couples talk, eat, drink and get to know each other. It seems that Barney and Marshall are getting along but Robin has been suspicious all evening and wonders what Barney is up to. He looked shocked to see Marshall earlier, like they knew each other somehow. They weren’t talking to each other much at first but now they’re talking and making jokes off handedly. Robin knows her fiancé she knows something is going on with him, whatever it is she’s going to find out someway.

On this night two couples get to know each other and unexpectedly the two men knew each other before tonight but how they know each other is the question...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just another fyi: Robin’s stance on kids will change like the show but that will be later on in the story kids aren’t a big part of this story for her but she will have character growth just like everyone of these characters.


End file.
